The Herd Your Buffalo Sabres Podcast Ep 1 #hockeytalk #hockey #sabres #buffalosabres #sports

The Herd Your Buffalo Sabres Podcast Ep 1 #hockeytalk #hockey #sabres #buffalosabres #sports

What’s going on everyone? Welcome to your new Buffalo Savers podcast called The Herd with me, Dan. You can find me on Instagram at the herd dot or the herd26. Um, so yeah, this is going to be something new. We’re going to dive in and we are going to be covering the Buffalo Sabres um for a long time. So, this is our new channel. Hope you guys enjoy. Um, first thing first, you can see we got a new nice new logo, the herd. Um, it’s great. I just want to give you all a little bit introduce about myself. Um, I did host a show called Hockey Tick to Talk Nation. Um, it was a great show. I had on some great guests, but I wanted to venture out and do something a little bit different and cover just a team. And so, we’re going to be covering the Buffalo Sabres because I really think this team looks great on paper and off paper and it’s something we can all do together and enjoy and grow with. So yeah, we got a couple good talking points here. So, hope you guys enjoy this. Make sure to hit that like and subscribe. It really helps channel grow. And leave a comment. I love to hear you guys thoughts on some of these topics we’re going to be talking about. So, make sure to leave a comment and I always write back to comments. So, let me know what you guys think. And if you enjoy this or if you don’t, um, let me know. Either way, I like to hear all your guys’ thoughts. So, first off, we’re going to get into some signings and free agent trades that the Buffalo Sabres have done this off season so far. So, I wrote down a few significant trades that we’re going to be talking about. First off, on June 26, the Sabres acquired um Josh Don and Michael Kessler from the Mammoth for JJ Berka. So, I know this trade has a lot of people in Buffalo scratching their heads. Like, you have JJ Purka who it’s a proven scorer, great guy, locker room, loves him. Um, homegrown talent really came up drafted by Buffalo, came up through the system, now he’s off to the mammoth, which is really going to help that team quite well. But a little bit about Josh Don and Kessler that we’re receiving back from the Mammoth. Um Josh Don was a second round pick uh in 2021. He’s a hardworking for checker which the Buffalo Sabres desperately need since they got rid of Cousins. Um so this guy’s going to fill in. If you don’t know Josh Don, he is the son of Shane Don, uh, an all-time Coyotes great and Winnipeg Jet, too, as well. Um, but yeah, this kid, I can’t say enough about him. Buffalo is excited to have him. This is one guy that I would be putting on our radar to watch cuz I really think this guy is going to be good. Like I said, he’s got the dog in him to go for check. Um, he’s also got an untapped offense potential. And what I mean by that is we haven’t seen the limit for this guy for scoring or offensively yet. He’s still trying to find his role. As I said, he’s still kind of newer to the NHL. He was drafted in 2001, but he came from college. And I always think the college kids have a little bit of a leg up on all the kids getting dropped from the WHL, OHL, um, C, the Quebec Major Junior League, CHL, the college kids, and the kids from overseas that come in here. I think they always have a leg up on some of these kids coming from like the the like CHL and the WHL and all that. So to Don a great kid going to be great for the Buffalo Sabres. Um kind of curious to see where he’s going to pair in for lines. I think if we go we start him off in the third line there. Let him get his foot. Let him get his traction. Let’s see what he can do and then as he progresses maybe we’ll move him up to second line. He’s going to be top six forward. Um that’s what I’ll say. He’ll be top six forward. It’s going to take time but he will be there. Now on to our next guy who I think is looking really really well and that is Michael Castle Ring. If you have not seen this kid play, go watch some highlights. This kid is so good. Um he’s 66 right shot D. Um he’s going to be excellent pairing with Owen Power. So these two are going to be really good together. Caser and Power. So they finally have that second defense pairing that’s going to really help Owen Power. If you haven’t watched Owen Power play, he doesn’t hit. He well he very rarely hits but he is a goal scorer and he can play great D. But what Kessle Ring’s going to bring is he’s going to bring that steady defensive presence with Owen Power so Owen Power can kind of jump into the rush a little bit and that’s going to help the Buffalo Sabres in two ways. It’s going to solidify a little bit of their defense in the back end with Power. they’re and power is going to have a little bit more opportunity to jump into that play which is going to help Buffalo with some more scoring presence and stuff like that. So this trade here I think is probably the biggest one so far of the off season. not by the names per se to like the bigger names per se to trade, but I think this is a trade that we really got to watch and see how it plays out. I mean, JJ Purka is going is going to be a huge part missing out of Buffalo, but he’s also going to do really well with the Mammoth, too. And I think the two players that we got back are really going to play well here in Buffalo. So yeah, that’s just a little bit of that trade, my thoughts on it. Um, I would say to be honest with you, I’d say Buffalo wins this trade, but it’s hard to see Purka go, especially when you got homegrown talent. You really want him to succeed, but it is it’s a business. though Buffalo wanted something and they got something which I’m really excited to see this. So, and then on June 28th, the Savers acquired uh Connor Timmans and Isaac Bellevu from the Pens for Connor Clifton. This is a nice little trade as well. We kind of shift Clifton off. He didn’t have a great year for us and by no means are we going to hold it against the guy. He played his heart out for us. But I really like this pairing coming in. You got Isaac Belvu, who’s a 20-year-old defenseman, and you got Connor Timonss, another great defenseman who’s going to pair well in our third to fourth D slot. Um, he still is unsigned get, but we still got lots of time. Um, we’ll sign him for a good good deal. It’s not going to be crazy, but it’s going to be why he’s worked and he’s going to help that top six D there as well. He’s going to be on third line D, which is going to give us a little bit more of a defensive presence there as well. Uh Belle might see him up this year. I doubt it. He’ll probably slide into the AHL and play there for a while. Maybe if someone gets hurt, they kind of bring him up. But Conor Timmons, I think, is going to be a really good fit for this fourth or the third line B there. Um, it’s just going to be who they pair him up with, I guess. So, yeah, that’s a good little trade there that kind of went kind of good for both teams. Uh, Pittsburgh’s getting an solid defenseman and Connor Clifton. Hopefully, he can have a bounceback year for the Pens, but the Pens are in rebuild as well. Buffalo. It’s good to see that we’re kind of getting the defense pairings right now. Now, we just got a we got our top four, which is going to be really good. So, I’m not worried about top four. It’s the third line D’s that I’m still iffy about, but with Connor Timmons, I’m feeling okay with that. And then on July 1st, we traded away Sam Laferty to the Chicago Blackhawks for a sixth round pick. So this is just to get rid of some cap space pretty much. Sam Lafy played really well here in Buffalo. Um you can’t I can’t say anything bad about him because Sam Laughy is a dog. And what I mean by that is you know what you’re getting night in and night out. He’s going to play hard. He’s going to score you a couple goals, but he’s going to be in the trenches. He’s going to be battling. He’s going to go to the front of the net. He’s going to stick up for teammates. So, this one is a really good pick or send to Chicago. It’s going to help beef up that team a little bit. We got a six round pick out of this, which is great. Nothing wrong with six round picks. there’s some guys that can come out of a sixth round pick that can be really good. So, that’s a little bit about that trade. Um, signing wise, um, on June 27th, we signed Jack Quinn to 2-year deal for a AAV of 3.375 million. Great deal. Um, Jack Quinn is going to be huge for this team going forward. another draw guy that has grown in the system drafted by Buffalo. Um yeah, so this guy’s going to be really good. Um got him at a steel too for another two years for 3.375 AAV. So that is a great uh contract, team friendly contract, and now he can prove himself. So this is going to be really good to see where Jack Quinn really goes from here. He’s got the contract. he doesn’t have to worry. Now it’s time to play. Let’s see how he does this year. Then on July 1st, the Sabres resigned a hu this is probably the biggest resigning so far for them um of this year. And that is Mloud signs a four-year deal for AAV of 5 million. That is a great great deal. Um Mloud fast skater. You can put him out in any situation, defensively, offensively. If you need a goal, if you need to shut down a player, like this is a huge sign with Ryan Mloud. Um, I love this kid. He does everything right. He plays the game right. He plays hard. He plays physical. He’s got the goalcoring touch. He can pass. He’s just a coach’s dream. And he can slot right in there on your top line or you can put him in on your checking line. It doesn’t matter. This kid will play. Um, huge, huge, in my opinion, offseason signing was keeping Ryan Mloud here in Buffalo. This is going to pay dividends. And I’m really, really loving this one. And this one is my uh, like under the radar huge, huge resigning for Buffalo. So, I can’t wait to see Ryan Mloud next year. This is going to be a different team. Um, but we’ll get into that later on into the podcast as well. Uh, the Sabres also signed Girtson to a 2-year average at 775,000. Um, just a AHL signing and a depth signing. Um, you know what you’re going to get with him. He’s going, you might see him in the lineup throughout the year, but he’s just going to be an AHL guy just to solidify down there as well. Saber sign Tyson Cro or Kak for a three-year deal. Another um Buffalo guy drafted AHL. Um I assume you’ll see him play a couple games here uh in the NHL. He’s definitely going to be battling for that one roster spot that’s still available along with a couple of these other guys. So, this one’s going to be good. Uh Kak played really well um last year in the AHL. So, great signing. Um Sabres also signed via free agency Alex Lion to a two-year deal. This one kind of threw me a little bit because you have Ukapolucin, you have Devin Levi, and now you have Alex Lion. And I can see you’re going, your opening day starter is going to be Ukapolucin. You’re going to have a backup in Alex Lion. One of those guys hurts. Devin Levi is going to jump in. Yet Devin Levi is still unsigned as I’m recording this, but you could sign him for a very, very cheap deal. He’s going to go down to AHL, which is good. He’s going to develop more. Hopefully, he starts there and he gets more games played, but you’re going to see him come back up to the a NHL once one of these goalies get hurt. And hopefully he can ride with it. Hopefully he gets in there, he gets in the grease and he can play cuz Devin Levi is an amazing goalie. Um, so I don’t want to sleep on him. I think he just needs more playing time and I’m great to see Buffalo now. Um, kind of solidifying who their number one is, which is great because I find the goalie car so really really hurts a team. Like pick your starter, pick your backup. Don’t rotate. Your backup’s going to play at least 20 25 games, maybe 30, okay? depending on injuries and whatnot, but Alex is gonna help those two younger goalies as well. So, great signing there. Um, Sabres also signed Wrathborn to a Freeman’s favorite um player. If you don’t know, go check it out. good defensively. It’s going to be an NHL, but you will see at times maybe him if there’s injuries as well. Excuse me. Uh, Sabres Ryan Johnson to a three-year deal to that is huge. Ryan Jones defensive player. He for me is ranking as your 7D. So he will be playing NHL games. He’ll start probably in the AHL, but there’s and he’s going to be slotted right into that defensive core. Ryan Johnson is an amazing amazing player. Um, I’m glad to see all so super super stoked about that. Um, on July 2nd, the Savers signed Fiddler Schultz and just entrylevel contract to a two-way contract. So, couple more depth signings there, keeping the homegrown talent that we were drafting into the city. And then another kind of a little bit under the radar, but going to be glad to see this kid here in Buffalo. And that’s ideal. Kind of prove yourself. Zack Jones uh spent some time in New York where he got to play a little bit, but they kind of threw him under the radar, I guess, there in New York. Um, it’s hard to play for for defensively cuz they got so many good defensive, but when he was in there, he Yeah, he was so young. You make mistakes. Defensive PE players are going to make mistakes. That’s how they learn. You’re going to have to go through the growing pains with them. make true signing and I could see him playing in Buffalo up on the NHL squad if there’s injuries. Signed Justin Danforth to a 2-year deal. So, that’s a pretty good sign from Columbus. Really good solid um bottom six player. Um he’ll round up. He’ll give you the grit, the energy. He’ll battle in those corners. He’ll go to the net. Exactly what Buffalo needs. So, this is funny to me cuz everyone was like, “Trade him, trade him, get rid of, but I think he needs to stay in Buffalo.” And I think he’s a really good partner with sign on the 2-year contract for AB of 6.2 million, which is a great great deal. Third, why didn’t we trade him? Why trade a proven defense? Pairs really well with Rasmine. Like to me, this is a great great signing and I really love Boba. Kind of gives Delore breathing room so he can go and challenge or go with the puck a little bit. Skate is hard back cuz you got Bo back there. Great defensive defenseman. He will score a couple goals. not going to be anything big. Maybe he’ll get six goals a year. Those things he does defensively that’s really um will help pair him well with Deline. Then Jake Leision to a one-year deal. Another depth forward. Um great for great pickup. Good little friendly team deal. These are layers that are going to battle for that last roster spot as well. So, it’s going to be last roster spot. So, yeah, that’s a little bit about the sign. So, let’s talk about the draft picks this year because this is really where because Buffalo’s got some really great. They’re just building up the decor a little bit more which is great to see. Um so this year selected Roman market um 66 defense played with Seattle in the WHL 2024 2025 season. He played 43 games scored three goals. This is a huge defenseman. Uh, great pick by the Savers. Um, right shot D. Um, I honestly could see him battling for the I think on Buffalo. I’d let him develop a year. Send him back or send him to the AHL. Let him develop. Don’t rush him in cuz this kid wanted to be in Buffalo. When he got drafted, he was so heart great and he wants to be the best player he can be and that is huge. So would not rush him into the NHL right now. a bit more. Maybe a year or two. Kind of bring him in, play a couple games, him in, let him play the last five or three games, kind of get him to see the NHL level a little bit. Denver won a Buffalo pick David Beckowski uh 642 sound 2020 425 he played 35 games three goals four assists seven points by no means but that being said they could have a bad um OHL like not scoring, but in the AHL it could be a totally different thing. You could see him scoring goals, passing, but I think this kid David Bedkowski is just a solid DD man, which is wonderful. You got to have those DD men. And like I said, another right hand shot D. Another big body 64 221. Um he’s going to bellow. He’s still got room to grow. Huge, huge signing. Really like this signing as well. Great kid. I can’t wait to see what he can do. And maybe he has a bounceback year. Maybe that year is just a little bit of a down year. So, we never know. So, you got to take that with grain of salt as well. But, we’ll definitely be checking out him as we go on. Same with all these other draft picks. Um, in the fourth round, 103rd pick, Buffalo selected Matteos Kachark, 6’4, 180 lb center, uh, 2024,25. He played for the Czech Junior League. Uh, played 25 games, six goals, 10 assists for 16 points. Um, I haven’t seen highlights on this kid, but he plays in the Czech league, so probably play uh senior Czech league next year, which is really going to help him develop. Like I said, those guys that play over in overseas and in college, have a leg up on all these other draft picks. Um, cuz they’re playing against grown men. They’re playing more high level. They’re not playing kids. So, they’re not playing teenagers. So, huge huge upside, I think, for this guy. And you always got to have a center. You always got pick centers and right shot D. You always want want those when you’re drafting. They’re a dime a dozen. And yeah, so those are the draft picks. Just a couple of the notified ones that I think we should be looking out for. Um but yeah, now we’ll talk about the goalie core. Um so yeah, what I like I said for the goalie core, we have your opening day starter is going to be in. Um hands down, he’s probably been the best saver goalie so far for them. Um then your backup obviously is going to be Alex Lion. Uh another solid backup who can get in there and take a couple starts as well. who probably will so we can rest Ugo Pekin throughout the season as well. And like I said, if there’s injury, we’re going to see Deon Levi back up and hopefully he comes back up with that swagger and that confidence that we that I really know that he has. Um he was highly touted. I see him almost like a Dustin Wolf. Um and he just got to find that confidence in him. He’s really gota find that. Once he finds that and that swagger, he’s gonna be such a huge huge defensive presence for this team or backs stop presence for this team. And I reckon we’ll see him play 25 games this season for Buffalo where there’s always going to be injuries. Goalies have the roughest job on the ice. They’re always up and down. The wear and tear on them, it takes a toll. So, I think we’re going to see Devon Nevi play 25 games in the NHL because of injuries. But yeah, so that’s our little bit of a goalie uh tandem. I really, like I said, our opening day star is going to be Ukrainian. Hands down. He’s probably been the steadiest goalie out of the two right now so far for him and Levi. But yeah, so that’s our goalies. So schedules and games to look out for. This one I thought was pretty good. Um the schedule looks really good. First six games are at home, which is huge. You always want to have your s your home to start out at home and be in front of your home crowd is a huge boost. So, but yeah, my games to watch were it’s going to tell me how this team’s going to be this year, and that’s October 13th and October 18th. October 13th, we play the um Avalanche, a proven winner, Stanley Cup winner. This is where I would like to see this how the team’s going to be. This is where my season will break or make cuz if they can play these Avalanche they’re the Avalanche team really well. We might have a really good season. To me though, playing well is even if they go into a shootout um they’re tied. That’s a win to me. If we’re blow out, say four nothing, five nothing, six nothing, we don’t even get a goal, that tells me that this team is still not ready yet, which is a shame because all the right pieces are in place. Then we play October 18th and that is against the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, which I’m pretty sure every team is trying to copy their um method. But the Florida Panthers are the best team in the NHL because they’re so deep. They’re not about the money. That’s what the guys in the Panthers, they’re not about making the money. They’re about the culture, the team. They put the team first. And that’s what you got to do to win cups. You got to put the team first. Stop putting your personal, oh, I need this money. I need this money. If you want to win in the NHL, you have to build a team. The key word here is team. There’s no I in team. Look at Toronto. Great example. All this talent, but they can’t put it together. Every one of those four players, all three now Mner’s gone, was all selfish. They all wanted the money. So that’s where you got to put your pride aside and think a great example of this is Sydney Crosby, Nathan McKinnon. They took team friendly deals forever cuz they wanted to win. They wanted to help the team. They brought in all these players to help the team cuz they could afford to. So great great philosophy on those two players and now they’re getting paid for it. So definitely two game two games I’m looking out for this season which is going to make or break the season for the Savers and show me the compete level that they have in them. So on our next topic here, what to expect. So for me, what to expect this year is I would like to see them get wild card spot. They were what, one or two points shy the wild card spot last year. Like I said, if you make it, if you get in, anything can happen. Once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen. It’s a different beast. Seven games, it’s a grind. It’ll be great to see these young players be in there, get the playoff experience. I’m not expecting anything huge. I don’t expect them to walk away with it and win the cup, but I would love to see them get in, get the experience, and build off that. Um, I think Rasmine would excel in the playoffs, and I really want to see these kids in the playoffs. I mean, Buffalo, we deserve to see the Buffalo Sabers in the playoffs. It’s been a grind 15-year playoff drought. This is the year where they break the playoff drought. They are going to get the wild card spot, if not the fourth or third spot in the standings. This is the year we get into the playoffs. I’m telling you right now, I feel it with this team. I feel the buzz. We get into the playoffs this year. So, that’s my expectations. My other thing is Lindy Ruff. Okay, he was here first time with Buffalo. We brought him back again. He’s on his last contract. Same with Kevin Adams. Lindy Ruff is a good good coach. I will not take that away from him. But if we do not make the playoffs this year, Lindy Ruff has to go. And as bad as it sounds, he has to go. He’s not helping this team if they do not make the playoffs. That being said, if he does go, who would I like to see come in and coach this team? A great great coach I would love to see come in and stay here develop these guys and he will get the best out of them is Jay Woodraftoft the former former Oilers coach. I think he would bring a great voice to this Buffalo team. He will get them playing. Uh he’s got a great solid defensive scheme. Offense great. And I think this is a team Jay Woodraftoft would really really develop well. Um, that being said, we have Kevin Adams, the GM, if, like I said, if they do not make the playoffs this year, Kevin Adams has to go. Has to go. We have not spent any money. We have poor cap right now. Just let me pull this up for us all so you can see. Current cap space right now is 7,000 or 7,390,000. We have we are not playing paying any players right now for a maximum cont. He sent JJ Burka who is 8 million. He was our highest contract. Start spending. get some players in here. I mean, it’s great that we’re getting homegrown talent, but if we want to get to the playoffs, we’re going to have to play pay some players. So, let’s bring in some proven veterans to help these kids out. But yeah, so that being said, Kevin Adams has got to be on the hot seat this year. If it’s not playoffs, Kevin Adams has to go. We have a great um advisor in there right now in uh Kalinan who could step right in. I have so much faith in Kalinan. If they if Kevin Adams goes and they offer him the job, Kalinan would turn this team around. I mean, look at his draft picks that he did in Columbus. so much good of a track record there. Um, Kalin, I would love to see him as the GM as the Buffalo Sabres if this team does not make the playoffs. We really have to think about Kevin Adams going cuz he’s, like I said, he’s not helping. But that being said, I don’t know how much of that is Kevin Adams and how much of that is the Pragoula family not letting Kevin Adams spend. So, we got to take that both ways there as well. Um, so player to watch for me this year, I will just leave this on the clip out there for you guys and let me know what you guys think. But my player to watch this year who I think could battle for that last roster spot. Um hopefully be there opening night is Costa Heliness. This kid is amazing. We need to get him in the AHL. He lit up the AHL when he did come up in Buffalo and play for those couple games. He was amazing. Um he is my player to watch this year. Costa Helenas. Um, I really would love to see him up in Buffalo this year. So hopefully he gets some games up here and is opening on the opening night starting roster. That is one I would love to see. But yeah, so this is Dan. Um, let me know what you guys thoughts on all these topics we covered were. Love to hear in the comments what you guys think. Um, who you guys think could be a stand or um your player to watch for this Buffalo team? Is there players I missed that you guys think would be really good um to watch for this team? Um, what was your favorite signing or trade from the offseason or for Buffalo Sabres standpoint? But yeah, so hope you guys enjoyed. Make sure to hit that like, subscribe, hit that bell so you’re notified for the next video. Uh, we will eventually go live. I don’t know when yet, but you want hit that bell so that you’re notified. But until then, this is Dan from the Herd, your Buffalo Savers podcast, and we will see you in the next one. Hope you guys enjoy. Stay safe and go Sabres. Go

Welcome.

Welcome To The Herd..Your Buffalo Sabres Podcast With Me Dan. Come join me as we cover the Buffalo Sabres and everything Sabres related with after game post talk, live reactions and Sabres talk.

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